Inhaltsbereich: Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung

Working time accounts in the public- and private sector: flexible working hours are becoming increasingly important

11 September 2019

More and more companies and administrations offer their employees working time accounts. Between 1999 and 2016, the proportion of companies using this instrument has almost doubled. Above all, models that enable a short-term adjustment of work-input are particularly widespread. By contrast, long-term accounts, which facilitate longer leave periods including family leave, remain the exception.

Heterogeneity in Marginal Returns to Language Training of Immigrants

09 September 2019

We estimate the effect of language training on subsequent employment and wages of immigrants under essential heterogeneity. The identifying variation is based on regional differences in language training availability that we use to instrument endogenous participation. Estimating marginal treatment effects along the distribution of observables and unobservables that drive individual participation decisions, we find that immigrants with higher gains are more likely to select into language training than immigrants with lower gains.

In this note, we provide evidence on the extent and determinants of sequential versus non-sequential search among German employers. Using unique representative data on employers’ recruitment behavior, we exploit direct information on whether employers first formed a pool of applicants from which they chose the most suitable candidate (Non- Sequential Search), or whether they hired the first suitable applicant (Sequential Search). We show that non-sequential search is the predominant search strategy, accounting for about 75 per cent of all successful hirings.

Marginal part-time employment in Germany: Live or let die?

08 August 2019

Marginal employment, known as mini-job, is a two-edged sword. For many mini-jobber it has not been worthwhile to work longer hours up to now. This is an avoidable obstacle for securing a sustainable supply of skilled workers. At the same time, neither a continuation of the status quo nor a complete abolition of marginal employment is a proper solution. A well-thought-out reform completed in reasonable steps aiming at the improvement of the overall situation of employees, enterprises and the state budget is feasible.

Do social networks mitigate stigma effects from long-term unemployment?

06 August 2019

Using data from the German Job Vacancy Survey from 2016 and 2018, which is a representative paper and pencil survey on establishments in Germany, I investigate how employers judge the work related skills of long-term unemployed and whether this group has higher chances of being hired when an employer uses his or her social contacts to find candidates. Apart from a large number of establishment-specific characteristics, the survey contains information on the recruiting process with regard to long-term unemployed. Establishments are asked whether they had applications from these persons, whether they invited them for an interview and whether they finally employed long-term unemployed individuals. For all three steps of the recruitment process, it is possible to identify employers that recruited long-term unemployed with or without recommendations.